Five Reasons Why We Love: Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton was born on January 5, 1946 in Los Angeles, California. One of her earliest acting stints was as Blanche DuBois in the Santa Ana High School rendition of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire. Over the years she has become one of Hollywood's greatest and most well known actresses. America fell in love with her three decades ago and that love affair is still going strong. If you conduct a poll you will most likely find that there are not very many people who will say that they just don't like Diane Keaton. The reasons for why Diane is so well liked are varied but I think that most of us can agree on these particular five:

Reason number one: Diane Keaton's first Academy Award win for best actress in her turn as Annie Hall (1977) is on many film fan favorites lists. Who doesn't absolutely love her in this movie?

Reason number two: Diane can go from playing a wealthy upper middle class woman to a drug addicted, poor single mother and she delivers a fully believable performance in both role types. Check out her work as an upper-class Manhattanite in Baby Boom 1987 and as a meth addicted, struggling single mom in On Thin Ice (2003)*.

Reason number three: Diane has the ability to convincingly play both intellectually open-minded and cool women that we all love... and narrow-minded, superficial wenches that we sometimes cannot stand. Check out these two comparisons: The Family Stone (2005) and The Other Sister (1999).*

Reason number four: Diane Keaton has the ability to flawlessly portray serious characters as well as silly, quirky characters. Compare her performance in Reds (1981) to her performance in Sleeper (1973).

Reason number five: Diane Keaton is not afraid to display her humanity and she's very much like someone that we all would like to know in our real daily lives. Check out these performances: Something's Gotta Give (2003), The First Wives Club (1996), Marvin's Room (1996), Mrs. Soffel (1984), Looking for Mister Goodbar (1977).

Truly, Diane Keaton is one of the most versatile actors to ever grace the screen. She has been in casts including powerhouse actors like Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, Warren Beatty, Frances McDormand, Bette Midler, Woody Allen, Meg Ryan, Mel Gibson and the like...yet she has never been upstaged by any one of them. If you are a younger film fan check out some of her work and you will be able to quickly understand why we love Diane Keaton so much.

*On Thin Ice (2003) is a TV drama that is not yet available on DVD. Keep checking the link for upcoming TV showings in your area. The movie frequently airs on Lifetime TV.

*The Other Sister (1999) can be viewed entirely online.

*Diane Keaton's Biography, Filmography.